El Cerrito Journal community briefs

The National Park Service is holding a free family program on Feb. 16 at the

Maritime Center, 1014 Florida Ave. at the corner of Harbour Way in Richmond.

The program includes a tour from 11 a.m. to noon of the historic center, a restored facility that was built to provide around-the-clock child care for home front workers at the Richmond shipyards during World War II.

The tour will be followed by arts and crafts with a ranger for children ages 5 to 12 that will demonstrate the type of art projects children created at the Maritime Child Development Center during the war.

Albany bike/pedestrian project advances

Albany has posted an update on the Marin/Buchanan Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail on the city website.

Wiring conduits for future traffic signals have been installed at the Buchanan Avenue and Pierce Street intersection and sidewalk improvements to the northeast corner have been completed on the intersection's northeast corner. Installation of a line carrying recycled water is now being installed at the United States Department of Agriculture site.

Three palm trees have also been relocated on the University of California property to allow construction of a dedicated right turn lane at Buchanan and Marin avenues.

The city asks motorists to drive slowly around construction areas and pay attention to temporary signs prohibiting parking.

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For details about the project call the city Public Works Department at 510-524-9543.

Get information at city's Passport Day

Albany is observing "Passport Day In The USA 2013" with a free event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 9 at City Hall, 1000 San Pablo Ave.

The city's Passport Office will have information on applying for passports and will be accepting applications, an opportunity not normally available on a Saturday. Regular passport office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 8:30 a.m. to noon Fridays. Service is on a walk-in basis, no appointment necessary.

Information on passport costs and how to apply is available at www.travel.state.gov and on the city's information hotline at 510-528-5720.

Trail restoration work party in El Cerrito

Work parties to do restoration work on the trail in the northern Hillside Natural Area once popular as Motorcycle Hill will be held by the El Cerrito Trail Trekkers group at 10 a.m. Feb. 23.

Work to improve footing and remove invasive plants will be on a long-obscured trail in the area that was used in the 1920s by motorcycle racers and later became overgrown. Tools will be provided to volunteers, who should meet at the trailhead between 7701 and 7705 Potrero Ave. To RSVP contact Jenny Hammer at 510-524-1590 or jhammer13@earthlink.net. For more details visit www.ectrailtrekkers.org.

Introductory session on entrepreneur training series

El Cerrito is preparing for its fourth annual Entrepreneur Training Program series this spring and is holding informational sessions from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 27 in the Hillside Room at City Hall, 10890 San Pablo Ave., for those who might be interested in enrolling.

The training classes, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays and Wednesdays from April 1 to June 22, is for people with a serious interest in starting a new business and current small business owners seeking to improve their operation.

To sign up for one of the introductory sessions or apply for the class call 510-215-4362.

A community meeting to discuss the city's new rules on conduct and salvage at the El Cerrito Recycling and Environmental Resource Center will be held at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at the center, 7501 Schmidt Lane.

The rules are intended to "help establish a safer more welcoming environment," the city says.

Winter concerts at St. Mary's High School

A free pair of winter music concerts are being hosted at Saint Mary's College High School next week.